Thermal exchange pack for a cooling tower

Abstract

A thermal exchange pack ( 10 ) for a cooling tower includes a plurality of reticular panels ( 1 ), each panel defining a longitudinal plane ( 1 a ) and a sagittal plane ( 1 b ) normal to the longitudinal plane ( 1 a ), crossing at a main axis ( 1 c ), and extending on the longitudinal plane ( 1 a ) in a corrugated way, making fins ( 2 ) recurrent along the main axis ( 1 c ), arranged in two rows ( 1 ′) symmetrical in respect of said sagittal plane ( 1 b ), extending along corresponding secondary axes ( 2 a ) transversal to the main axis ( 1 c ) and mutually parallel, each including at least a top crest ( 20 ) more spaced from the longitudinal plane ( 1 a ) in respect of the remnant fin ( 2 ), wherein the panels ( 1 ) are mutually stacked in the pack ( 10 ), so that each longitudinal plane ( 1 a ) is spaced from an adjacent longitudinal plane ( 1 a ) through the fins ( 2 ), and wherein the pack ( 10 ) is so configured, that in operation each longitudinal plane ( 1 a ) is parallel to a bottom of a water collection basin of a cooling tower.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cooling tower including a thermal exchange pack, said thermal exchange pack comprising a plurality of reticular panels, each panel defining a longitudinal plane and a sagittal plane normal to said longitudinal plane, crossing at a main axis and extending corrugated on said longitudinal plane, so as to make fins recurrent along said main axis, arranged in two rows symmetrical to said sagittal plane, extending along respective secondary axes, transversal to said main axis and mutually parallel, each fin comprising at least a top crest more spaced from said longitudinal plane than the rest of said fin,
 said panels being mutually stacked in said pack, so that each longitudinal plane is spaced from an adjacent longitudinal plane by means of said fins, and   wherein said pack is positioned so that each longitudinal plane is parallel to the bottom of a water collection tank of a cooling tower.   
     
     
         2 . The cooling tower according to  claim 1 , wherein each panel further defines first end edges extending parallel to said main axis on opposite sides of said panel in respect of said sagittal plane, and second central edges extending parallel to said main axis and adjacent to said sagittal plane on opposite sides of said panel in respect of said sagittal plane, wherein each fin defines a first end at said first edge and a second end at said second edge. 
     
     
         3 . The cooling tower according to  claim 2 , wherein each fin comprises a plurality of bosses, each boss protruding transversally to said longitudinal plane starting from said crest and/or from said longitudinal plane, corresponding at least to a relevant fin end. 
     
     
         4 . The cooling tower according to  claim 1 , wherein each of said bosses is defined by a flat support step protruding from said crest and/or by said longitudinal plane. 
     
     
         5 . The cooling tower according to  claim 1 , wherein each of said fins comprises at least a blade extending parallel to said secondary axis and configured to increase the surface of thermal exchange of said panel. 
     
     
         6 . The cooling tower according to  claim 1 , wherein each fin defines at least two reticular walls on sides opposite to said crest, each wall being defined by pairs of sinusoidal segments crossing at their inflexion points or mutually shifted π/2 out-of-phase, and said blade extends, at least at a reticular wall of said fin, along each of said joining points of said sinusoidal segments. 
     
     
         7 . The cooling tower according to  claim 1 , further comprising constraint means configured to allow the reciprocal connection of said adjacent panels, comprising a plurality of holes arranged between said fins at said longitudinal plane on each row, and a plurality of pins arranged at said bosses on each row. 
     
     
         8 . The cooling tower according to  claim 1 , wherein said constraint means define, for each of said rows, at least three constraint directions parallel to said main axis and arranged at the first edge, at the second edge and between said edges, and each row comprises a plurality of said holes aligned along said constraint directions at said longitudinal plane, a plurality of said pins aligned along said constraint directions at said first edge on said first end and between said edges, and a plurality of said holes or pins along said constraint direction at said second edge on said second end. 
     
     
         9 . The cooling tower according to  claim 1 , wherein said panels are so stacked that said fins of said superposed panels are mutually crossed. 
     
     
         10 . Use of a pack according to  claim 1  above said water collection tank, wherein each of said longitudinal planes is parallel to said bottom of said collection tank. 
     
     
         11 . A method of assembling a pack according to  claim 1 , comprising the steps of
 positioning a first said panel above said water collection tank, so that said longitudinal plane is parallel to said tank bottom, and   superposing at least a second said panel on said first panel, so that said fins of said second panel are crossed in respect of said fins of said first panel.